A Sèvres soup plate (assiette à potage) c.1773, painted by Jacques-François-Louis de Laroche with scattered flowers to the well, the rim with overlapping panels of flowers within a rich gilt foliate design of point d'Espagne type, grey interlaced Ls mark, 24.3cm. This plate was part of a service ordered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1773 and remained in storage at the Ministry until being returned to the factory in 1776. Parts were sold to the Marquess of Bath as additions to a dessert service in 1777, and remain at Longleat today. Further additions were made to the service between 1778 and 1782 with further parts of the service being sold to the dealers, Keindal et Sanauva, in August 1781 (a section that did not appear to include soup plates). The remainder was gifted to Tipu Sultan of Mysore in 1788 by Louis XVI during a diplomatic mission by three emissaries to obtain support in the war against the British. Provenance: purchased from Hugh Mote, 18th May 1990 with ten others.